‘S’ proof Eagle sells out

A 2017-S proof silver American Eagle coin was packaged as the 2017 Congratulations Set.

The Mint’s 2017 one-coin Congratulations Set sold out in a couple of minutes April 4.

Buyers were motivated by the surprise inclusion of a 2017-S proof silver American Eagle instead of a 2017-W proof.

It is the first San Francisco proof silver Eagle since 2012.

Mintage of the set was 75,000. There were no restrictions placed on the number of sets that any buyer could acquire.

Complaints began to arrive in the office of Numismatic News for that very reason.

“The lack of ordering limits or high limits, keeps happening, over and over again at the Mint. What does it take for them to learn this cannot keep going on with issues that will be highly popular with collectors?” wrote Greg Davies in an email less than three hours after the sellout.

Buyers grabbed all 75,000 Congratulations Sets on their first day offered.

However what perhaps will be another surprise to Congratulations Set buyers is the Mint had announced beforehand that the 2017-S proof silver Eagle will be offered again later this year in the 2017 Limited Edition Silver Proof Set.

This set will be priced higher than the $54.95 Congratulations Set issue price because it will have more than one coin in it.

For comparison, the 2016 Limited Edition Silver Proof Set is priced at $139.95, but it has eight silver coins in it. Mintage is limited to 50,000, of which 39,616 have been sold.

In addition to the proof 2016-W proof silver Eagle there are five silver America the Beautiful quarters, one silver Roosevelt dime and one silver Kennedy half dollar from the San Francisco Mint.

In the meantime, the 2017 Congratulations Sets were being offered on eBay less than 24 hours after the Mint sellout for about double the Mint’s asking price.

Individual sets had “Buy It Now” prices of $120, $124.95, $129.95 and the like while groups of 10 had a price of $1,189.

Delivery of the sets has yet to be made by the Mint, but initial Mint shipments are expected to be received by buyers rapidly.

Answer our latest poll question

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor (Apr. 3, 2018) First Philadelphia cent shows up at a restaurant
I received my first 2018 cents in change at a restaurant in Concord, N.C. on Feb. 26.
Bill Watts
Concord, N.H.
Counterfeit Morgan dollar shows widespread problem
As a long-timer subscriber to Numismatic News, I am constantly amazed by the out-of-touch-with-reality situation at the U.S. Mint. Since they have received no complaints ...